It was my day of rest yesterday. I spoke to family and friends, went fishing at the lake, read a few pages of Bernd Heinrich’s “Mind of the Raven”, cleaned my boots, and closed my eyes at my Sit Spot. But that was only the beginning. Behind me, the sun was nearing due west, still […]
Since the dawn of time, humans have enjoyed an essential relationship with trees. They provide for the human necessities of food, fire, and shelter, as well as a myriad of other uses. But the trees themselves are also hosts to countless resident organisms, virtually all of which can be harnessed by the resourceful survivalist. In […]
The days have shortened and darkness rules the land. With the cold north winds blowing winter is upon us. A time when living in the Northern Hemisphere calls on your skills as an empowered human, to survive. The winters could be so harsh age was determined by how many you’ve lived through. Characterized by the […]
Come in, grab a blanket and warm yourself by the fire as we gather in the North West. A place of darkness after the sun has set and the light has faded. A time of year when the leaves have all fallen and the forest seems still, dark and wet. The time before winter comes […]
There are few sights as awe-inspiring as seeing our beautiful Earth from space – the puzzle-piece continents framed against the breathtakingly blue backdrop of the oceans, highlighted by the nebular swirl of clouds, and punctuated with the starkness of polar ice. An enchanting sight, to be sure. And of all the aforementioned, what makes the […]
Picture an owl perched on a tree branch 25ft above the ground. Sitting motionless with its owl eyes in a fixed gaze. The form we are gaining from the owl is that of wide peripheral vision. Stillness yields motion for the owl. When the owl holds perfect stillness, all motion is very evident. Any bird […]
Over many years of being with kids in nature, I have noticed that scale is a nuance to their experience and their development. While older children may focus in on an industrious project in a particular area, like digging a hole or building a dam, they also are more likely than younger kids to stop […]
Why are there no green mammals? A graduate student colleague of mine was recently faced with this question in her PhD qualifying exams. The professor told her that she was not to discuss sloths—which appear green due to algal growth in their fur—nor was she to argue that green coloration must not be adaptive (evolutionarily […]
It is a fine summer day here in Western Washington, with a slight breeze, singing birds, and flowers and fruit decorating the green world. Schools are out and it’s a great time to take off one’s shoes and head out for a wander. And do what? What sort of activity might help your child learn […]
A common pastime of outdoor enthusiasts is collecting edible mushrooms. This endeavor must be pursued with great caution since mistaking a poisonous mushroom for one that is edible can cost you your life. There are many old wives tales that would have you believe that there are easy ways to avoid poisonous mushrooms through blanket […]